# 1951–52 NCAA men's basketball rankings

The 1951–52 NCAA men's basketball rankings was made up of two human polls, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.

## Legend

| | Increase in ranking |
| | Decrease in ranking |
| | New to rankings from previous week |
| Italics | Number of first place votes |
| (#–#) | Win–loss record |
| т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |

## AP Poll

| | Week 2 Dec. 10 | Week 3 Dec. 17 | Week 4 Dec. 25 | Week 5 Jan. 1 | Week 6 Jan. 8 | Week 7 Jan. 15 | Week 8 Jan. 22 | Week 9 Jan. 29 | Week 10 Feb. 5 | Week 11 Feb. 12 | Week 12 Feb. 19 | Week 13 Feb. 26 | Final Mar. 4 | |
| 1. | Kentucky (1–0) | St. John's (5–0) | Kentucky (4–1) | Kansas (10–0) | Kansas (11–0) | Kansas (12–0) | Illinois (11–0) | Kentucky (14–2) | Kentucky (18–2) | Kentucky (21–2) | Kentucky (22–2) | Kentucky (24–2) | Kentucky (28–2) | 1. |
| 2. | St. John's (3–0) | Kentucky (2–1) | Illinois (5–0) | Illinois (6–0) | Illinois (8–0) | Illinois (10–0) | Kansas (13–0) | Kansas State (13–3) | Kansas State (13–3) | Kansas State (15–3) | Kansas State (16–3) | Illinois (17–2) | Illinois (19–2) | 2. |
| 3. | Illinois (1–0) | Illinois (2–0) | Washington (7–1) | Washington (10–1) | Kentucky (8–2) | Kentucky (10–2) | Kentucky (12–2) | Illinois (11–1) | Illinois (13–1) | Duquesne (16–0) | Duquesne (17–0) | Kansas State (16–3) | Kansas State (18–4) | 3. |
| 4. | Saint Louis (1–0) | Saint Louis (3–1) | Kansas (7–0) | Kentucky (6–2) | Indiana (8–0) | Iowa (10–0) | Iowa (12–0) | Kansas (13–1) | St. Bonaventure (13–0) | St. Bonaventure (16–0) | Iowa (16–1) | Duquesne (19–1) | Duquesne (21–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Kansas State (3–0) | Kansas State (5–1) | Indiana (5–0) | Indiana (7–0) | Saint Louis (9–2) | Saint Louis (10–3) | St. Bonaventure (10–0) | St. Bonaventure (12–4) | Duquesne (15–0) | Iowa (14–1) | Illinois (15–2) | Saint Louis (19–6) | Saint Louis (20–7) | 5. |
| 6. | Washington (1–1) | Indiana (4–0) | NYU (11–0) | NYU (12–0) | Washington (10–2) | St. Bonaventure (10–0) | Washington (14–2) | Saint Louis (12–4) | Kansas (14–2) | Illinois (13–2) | Washington (21–3) | Washington (22–4) | Washington (24–4) | 6. |
| 7. | Seton Hall (4–0) | Kansas (5–0) | St. John's (6–1) | Saint Louis (7–2) | Kansas State (9–3) | Duquesne (10–0) | Kansas State (12–3) | Duquesne (11–0) | Saint Louis (15–5) | Saint Louis (16–6) | Kansas (17–2) | Iowa (18–2) | Iowa (19–3) | 7. |
| 8. | Kansas (2–0) | Washington (5–1) | Kansas State (6–2) | St. John's (8–1) | St. Bonaventure (7–0) | Washington (12–2) | Saint Louis (11–4) | Iowa (12–1) | Washington (17–3) | Washington (19–3) | St. John's (18–2) | Kansas (19–2) | Kansas (20–2) | 8. |
| 9. | La Salle (4–0) | NC State (4–1) | Notre Dame (6–0) | Kansas State (8–3) | Seton Hall (10–0) | Kansas State (10–3) | West Virginia (11–1) | Washington (15–3) | Iowa (13–1) | Kansas (15–2) | Saint Louis (17–6) | St. John's (20–3) | West Virginia (22–3) | 9. |
| 10. | NC State (3–0) | Seton Hall (5–0) | Seton Hall (6–0) | St. Bonaventure (6–0) | Iowa (8–0) | West Virginia (9–1) | Duquesne (11–0) | West Virginia (12–1) | St. John's (13–2) | St. John's (17–2) | St. Bonaventure (17–2) | West Virginia (21–2) | St. John's (21–3) | 10. |
| 11. | Indiana (3–0) | NYU (10–0) | Western Kentucky (8–0) | Seton Hall (7–0) | West Virginia (8–1) | Siena (12–2) | Holy Cross (11–2) | Seton Hall (15–1) | Dayton (17–2) | Dayton (18–2) | Dayton (21–2) | Dayton (23–2) | Dayton (24–2) | 11. |
| 12. | Duke (4–0) | La Salle (5–0) | Saint Louis (4–2) | Iowa (7–0) | St. John's (9–1) | Seton Hall (12–1) | TCU (14–1) | Louisville (15–2) | West Virginia (14–2) | Seton Hall (18–1) | West Virginia (19–2) | St. Bonaventure (18–3) | Duke (22–5) | 12. |
| 13. | Oklahoma A&M (1–0) | Oklahoma A&M (4–0) | Stanford (9–1) | La Salle (7–0) | NYU (13–1) | Louisville (11–2) | Seton Hall (14–1) | Indiana (10–3) | Louisville (16–2) | Oklahoma City (13–4) | Penn State (17–1) | Louisville (19–4) | Holy Cross (21–3) | 13. |
| 14. | Notre Dame (3–0) | Wyoming (4–1) | Villanova (5–0) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Syracuse (6–0) | Indiana (8–2) | Louisville (14–2) | Dayton (16–2) | Penn State (13–1) | West Virginia (15–2) | Seton Hall (21–1) | Seton Hall (22–2) | Seton Hall (25–2) | 14. |
| 15. | Villanova (2–0) | Minnesota (2–2) | Utah (9–1) | Oklahoma City (7–1) | Louisville (9–2) | La Salle (10–1) | St. John's (12–2) | St. John's (13–2) | Oklahoma City (13–4) | Louisville (17–3) | Louisville (18–4) | Duke (20–5) | St. Bonaventure (19–3) | 15. |
| 16. | Stanford (3–0) | Western Kentucky (6–0) | UCLA (5–2) | Murray State (10–0) | Duquesne (8–0) | TCU (14–1) | Dayton (14–2) | Oklahoma City (10–4) | Oklahoma A&M (12–4) | Siena (14–3) | Seattle (26–5) | Wyoming (23–5) | Wyoming (23–6) | 16. |
| 17. | Louisville (3–0) | Holy Cross (3–0) | La Salle (6–0) | NC State (8–2) | Siena (12–2) | NC State (11–3) | Utah (16–4) | Holy Cross (11–2) | Seton Hall (17–1) | Penn State (15–1) | Holy Cross (17–2) | Holy Cross (19–2) | Louisville (20–5) | 17. |
| 18. | Vanderbilt (3–0) | Villanova (3–0) | Murray State (10–0) | Utah (11–2) | Oklahoma City (7–2) | Oklahoma City (9–3) | La Salle (12–1) | Siena (13–3) | Indiana (10–4) | DePaul (18–4) | Siena (16–3) | Western Kentucky (23–4) | Seattle (29–7) | 18. |
| 19. | Eastern Kentucky (4–0) | Duke (5–1) | NC State (5–2) | Syracuse (5–0) | Michigan State (6–0) | Dayton (12–2) | Siena (12–3) | DePaul (15–4) | La Salle (14–2) | Holy Cross (14–2) | Wyoming (21–4) | Villanova (16–7) | UCLA (17–9) | 19. |
| 20. | NYU (7–0) | Notre Dame (4–0) | Syracuse (5–0) | Michigan State (6–0) | Dayton (10–2) | Holy Cross (8–1) | Indiana (9–3) | Fordham (12–2) | Western Kentucky (15–3) | Indiana (10–4) | La Salle (18–4) | Siena (18–4) | Texas State (24–0) | 20. |
| | Week 2 Dec. 10 | Week 3 Dec. 17 | Week 4 Dec. 25 | Week 5 Jan. 1 | Week 6 Jan. 8 | Week 7 Jan. 15 | Week 8 Jan. 22 | Week 9 Jan. 29 | Week 10 Feb. 5 | Week 11 Feb. 12 | Week 12 Feb. 19 | Week 13 Feb. 26 | Final Mar. 4 | |
| | | Dropped: StanfordLouisvilleVanderbiltEastern Kentucky | Dropped: Oklahoma A&M (5–1)Wyoming (6–2)MinnesotaHoly CrossDuke | Dropped: Western KentuckyStanford (11–1)VillanovaUCLA (7–4) | Dropped: La SalleNotre DameMurray StateNC StateUtah | Dropped: St. John's (10–2)NYU (15–1)SyracuseMichigan State | Dropped: NC State (11–5)Oklahoma City | Dropped: TCUUtahLa Salle | Dropped: Holy CrossSienaDePaulFordham | Dropped: Oklahoma A&MLa SalleWestern Kentucky | Dropped: Oklahoma CityDePaulIndiana (12–5) | Dropped: Penn StateSeattleLa Salle (18–5) | Dropped: Western Kentucky (24–4)Villanova (17–8)Siena (19–5) | |

## UP Poll

| | Week 1 Dec. 6 | Week 2 Dec. 10 | Week 3 Dec. 17 | Week 4 Dec. 25 | Week 5 Jan. 1 | Week 6 Jan. 8 | Week 7 Jan. 15 | Week 8 Jan. 22 | Week 9 Jan. 29 | Week 10 Feb. 5 | Week 11 Feb. 12 | Week 12 Feb. 19 | Week 13 Feb. 26 | Week 14 Mar. 4 | Final Mar. 11 | |
| 1. | Kentucky (0–0) | Kentucky (1–0) | Illinois (2–0) | Illinois (5–0) | Illinois (6–0) | Illinois (8–0) | Illinois (10–0) | Illinois (11–0) | Illinois (11–1) | Kentucky (18–2) | Kentucky (21–2) | Kentucky (22–2) | Kentucky (24–2) | Kentucky (28–2) | Kentucky (28–2) | 1. |
| 2. | Illinois (0–0) | Illinois (1–0) | St. John's (5–0) | Kentucky (4–1) | Kentucky (6–2) | Kansas (11–0) | Kansas (12–0) | Kansas (13–0) | Kentucky (14–2) | Illinois (13–1) | Kansas State (15–3) | Kansas State (16–3) | Illinois (17–2) | Illinois (19–2) | Illinois (19–3) | 2. |
| 3. | Washington (1–1) | St. John's (3–0) | Kentucky (2–1) | Kansas (7–0) | Kansas (10–0) | Kentucky (8–2) | Kentucky (10–2) | Kentucky (12–2) | Kansas State (13–3) | Kansas State (13–3) | Illinois (13–2) | Illinois (15–2) | Kansas State (16–3) | Kansas State (18–4) | Kansas (21–2) | 3. |
| 4. | Oklahoma A&M (0–0) | Washington (1–1) | Kansas (5–0) | Washington (7–1) | Indiana (7–0) | Indiana (8–0) | Washington (12–2) | Iowa (12–0) | Kansas (13–1) | Saint Louis (15–5) | Iowa (14–1) | Duquesne (17–0) | Duquesne (19–1) | Kansas (20–2) | Duquesne (21–1) | 4. |
| 5. | St. John's (0–0) | Kansas State (3–0) | Washington (5–1) | Indiana (5–0) | Washington (10–1) | Saint Louis (9–2) | Saint Louis (10–3) | Washington (14–2) | St. Bonaventure (12–0) | St. Bonaventure (13–0) | St. Bonaventure (16–0) | Iowa (16–1) | Kansas (19–2) | Duquesne (21–1) | Washington (25–6) | 5. |
| 6. | Saint Louis (0–0) | Saint Louis (1–0) | Saint Louis (3–1) | Kansas State (6–2) | Saint Louis (7–2) | Washington (10–2) | Iowa (10–0) | Kansas State (12–3) | Saint Louis (12–4) | Kansas (14–2) | Duquesne (16–0) | Washington (21–3) | Saint Louis (19–6) | Saint Louis (20–7) | Kansas State (18–5) | 6. |
| 7. | NC State (3–0) | Oklahoma A&M (1–0) | Kansas State (5–1) | NYU (11–0) | NYU (12–0) | Kansas State (9–3) | Kansas State (10–3) | Saint Louis (11–4) | Washington (15–3) | Washington (17–3) | Saint Louis (16–6) | Kansas (17–2) | Washington (22–4) | Washington (24–4) | Saint Louis (21–7) | 7. |
| 8. | Kansas (1–0) | Kansas (2–0) | Indiana (4–0) | St. John's (6–1) | Kansas State (8–3) | St. John's (9–1) | Indiana (8–2) | St. Bonaventure (10–0) | Iowa (12–1) | Duquesne (15–0) | Kansas (15–2) | Saint Louis (17–6) | St. John's (20–3) | Iowa (19–3) | Iowa (19–3) | 8. |
| 9. | Wyoming (1–0) | NC State (3–0) | Oklahoma A&M (4–0) | Saint Louis (4–2) | St. John's (8–1) | NYU (13–1) | St. Bonaventure (9–0) | Duquesne (11–0) | Duquesne (11–0) | Iowa (13–1) | Washington (19–3) | St. John's (18–2) | Iowa (18–2) | St. John's (21–3) | St. John's (22–3) | 9. |
| 10. | Kansas State (2–0) | Wyoming (3–0) | NC State (4–1) | Utah (9–1) | NC State (8–2) | Iowa (8–0) | Duquesne (10–0) | Indiana (9–3) | Indiana (10–3) | Oklahoma A&M (12–4) | St. John's (17–2) | St. Bonaventure (17–2) | Wyoming (23–5) | Wyoming (23–6) | Wyoming (27–6) | 10. |
| 11. | Indiana (1–0) | Indiana (2–0) | Utah (7–1) | Oklahoma A&M (5–1) | Utah (11–2) | NC State (9–3) | St. John's (10–2) | Oklahoma A&M (11–2) | Seton Hall (15–1) | Seton Hall (17–1) | Indiana (10–4) | Wyoming (21–4) | St. Bonaventure (18–3) | St. Bonaventure (19–3) | St. Bonaventure (19–5) | 11. |
| 12. | BYU (1–2) | La Salle (4–0) | Notre Dame (4–0) | Notre Dame (6–0) | Villanova (5–1) | St. Bonaventure (7–0) | NC State (11–3) | Holy Cross (11–2) | West Virginia (12–1) | St. John's (13–2) т | Wyoming (20–4) | Seton Hall (21–1) | West Virginia (21–2) | Seton Hall (25–2) | Seton Hall (25–3) | 12. |
| 13. | UCLA (1–0) | Villanova (2–0) | Wyoming (4–1) | Stanford (9–1) | Iowa (7–0) | Louisville (9–2) | Seton Hall (12–1) | Louisville (14–2) | NC State (13–5) | Louisville (16–2) т | Dayton (18–2) | West Virginia (19–2) | Seton Hall (22–2) | Louisville (20–5) | TCU (21–3) | 13. |
| 14. | Dayton (3–0) | Notre Dame (3–0) т | NYU (10–0) | Iowa (3–0) | Seton Hall (7–0) | Utah (13–3) | Oklahoma A&M (10–2) | TCU (14–1) | Louisville (14–2) т | West Virginia (14–2) | Seton Hall (18–1) | Dayton (21–2) т | Indiana (13–6) | Dayton (24–2) т | West Virginia (23–4) | 14. |
| 15. | Seton Hall (3–0) | Louisville (3–0) т | Seton Hall (5–0) | Syracuse (5–0) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Syracuse (6–0) | NYU (15–1) | Seton Hall (14–1) | DePaul (15–4) т | Wyoming (19–4) | Louisville (17–3) | Louisville (18–4) т | Louisville (19–4) | TCU (21–3) т | Holy Cross (24–3) | 15. |
| 16. | La Salle (3–0) | UCLA (1–2) | Western Kentucky (6–0) | NC State (5–2) | St. Bonaventure (6–0) | Seton Hall (10–0) | La Salle (10–1) | St. John's (12–2) | Oklahoma City (10–4) | NC State (16–7) | NC State (16–7) | Indiana (12–5) т | Dayton (23–2) | Western Kentucky (24–4) т | Western Kentucky (26–4) | 16. |
| 17. | Villanova (0–0) | Seton Hall (4–0) | La Salle (5–0) т | Seton Hall (6–0) | Oklahoma City (7–1) | Minnesota (5–4) | Louisville (11–2) | West Virginia (11–5) т | Wyoming (16–4) | DePaul (16–4) | Oklahoma City (13–4) | TCU (17–3) | Western Kentucky (23–4) | Villanova (17–8) т | La Salle (21–5) | 17. |
| 18. | Columbia (2–0) | NYU (7–0) т | Minnesota (2–2) т | Western Kentucky (8–0) | Minnesota (4–3) т | Notre Dame (7–3) | Wyoming (12–3) | NC State (11–5) т | St. John's (13–2) | Oklahoma City (12–4) | West Virginia (15–2) | NC State (17–8) | La Salle (18–5) | West Virginia (22–3) т | Dayton (25–2) | 18. |
| 19. | Holy Cross (0–0) | Western Kentucky (4–0) т | Villanova (3–0) | Wyoming (6–2) | Duquesne (5–0) т | Oklahoma A&M (8–2) | TCU (14–1) | NYU (16–1) т | La Salle (13–2) т | Indiana (10–4) | NYU (17–1) | NYU (18–1) | Minnesota (15–6) т | Holy Cross (21–3) т | Louisville (21–5) т | 19. |
| 20. | Texas A&M (0–1) | Dayton (4–0) | Iowa (3–0) | La Salle (6–0) St. Bonaventure (4–0) | Louisville (7–1) т Arkansas (5–1) т | West Virginia (8–1) | West Virginia (9–1) | Villanova (9–3) т | Notre Dame (11–4) т | Dayton (17–2) т Western Kentucky (15–3) т | DePaul (18–4) | Villanova (14–7) | NYU (19–1) т | Indiana (15–6) | UCLA (19–10) т Indiana (16–6) т | 20. |
| | Week 1 Dec. 6 | Week 2 Dec. 10 | Week 3 Dec. 17 | Week 4 Dec. 25 | Week 5 Jan. 1 | Week 6 Jan. 8 | Week 7 Jan. 15 | Week 8 Jan. 22 | Week 9 Jan. 29 | Week 10 Feb. 5 | Week 11 Feb. 12 | Week 12 Feb. 19 | Week 13 Feb. 26 | Week 14 Mar. 4 | Final Mar. 11 | |
| | | Dropped: BYUColumbiaHoly CrossTexas A&M | Dropped: LouisvilleUCLADayton | Dropped: MinnesotaVillanova | Dropped: Oklahoma A&MStanford (11–1)SyracuseWestern KentuckyWyomingLa Salle | Dropped: VillanovaOklahoma CityDuquesneArkansas | Dropped: UtahMinnesotaNotre Dame | Dropped: La SalleWyoming | Dropped: Oklahoma A&MHoly CrossTCUNYUVillanova | Dropped: La SalleNotre Dame | Dropped: Oklahoma A&MWestern Kentucky | Dropped: Oklahoma CityDePaul | Dropped: TCUNC StateVillanova | Dropped: La SalleMinnesotaNYU | Dropped: Villanova | |